WPD: Man Arrested for Indecent Exposure at Best Western Nov. 19

WARWICK, RI — On Nov. 19, WPD officers were called to Best Western Airport Inn, 2138 Post Road, for an indecent exposure report, arresting a long-term resident of the hotel reportedly masturbating in the lobby.

Officers Kyle Fitzsimmons and Cameron Schneck arrived at the hotel and spoke with the reporting staff member, who told them Christopher Jones, 52, who uses a wheelchair, eats breakfast in the lobby every morning. That morning, she said, Jones arrived at  7 a.m. and sat at a table with his back to the wall, facing the front desk and the lobby common area. Some time later, she observed Jones with his hands under the table and it appeared that he was “fondling” himself, as her statement reads.  She watched Jones to be sure that his actions were what she suspected, seeing his penis completely exposed under the table, and that he was,  “jerking” it, according to the report.

She told Jones that he had to leave the lobby and he replied “what if I don’t want to?”.  She responded he cannot masturbate in the lobby, and Jones fell silent and wheeled himself back to his room.

Fitzsimmons and Schneck spoke with Jones in his room, 117,  about the incident, and Jones denied he had done anything wrong while in the lobby. Fitzsimmons told him he had  viewed video footage of the alleged act, which was consistent with the hotel staff member’s statements. Jones claimed that he was scratching an itchy portion of his body but his actions went on for an extended period of time in the video, according to the report. Jones continued to deny the accusation.

Indecent Exposure Charge Follows Sex Crime, Child Molestation History

Fitzsimmons noted that Jones has a lengthy history of sex crimes with a recent arrest of Child Molestation in 2024. He arrested Jones for one count of Indecent Exposure and escorted him out of the building to the officer’s cruiser. Fitzsimmons searched Jones as he sat in his chair and then allowed him to enter the prisoner compartment by himself. He was then handcuffed in the front as his has limited usage and mobility of his right arm, according to the officer’s report.